


Sort of Hot

by henry_amargosa



Category: The Fosters (TV 2013)
Genre: Body Image, M/M, Shirtless, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 11:18:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3726877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/henry_amargosa/pseuds/henry_amargosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jude and Connor go swimming, and while Jude really likes Connor's body, he's not sure his boyfriend will like his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sort of Hot

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Includes some descriptions of underage characters' bodies, but nothing graphic or sexual.

Jude loved seeing Connor without a shirt. He had caught a glimpse once, before they were dating, when Connor had been on the right half of a shirts-versus-skins basketball game at Anchor Beach.

But getting to see Connor shirtless up close — and knowing that he was his boyfriend — was really a very heady experience for Jude. He loved Connor’s toned and tanned body, how it seems to ripple lithely when he stretched. Jude loved his thick upper arms that made his sleeves bulge, and the pecs that made his older shirts go taut, and the abs that made him look like a 16-year-old.

Not that Jude didn’t also find Connor’s personality and mind attractive as well, because he definitely did. But there was no denying that having some eye candy was pretty nice, too.

It was mid-summer, and Jude and Connor had been boyfriends for a few months. Connor’s doctor had finally said he could go swimming, that his foot injury had healed enough to be submerged in water. Connor called Jude right away and suggested they go the community pool for the afternoon. Jude would say yes to pretty much anything, so he readily agreed.

“Hot dang,” Jude muttered to himself when Connor pulled off his t-shirt at the pool. Jude took in his boyfriend’s body, relishing it up close. He felt a little self-conscious about drinking in the image, but if he couldn’t indulge a little now, when could he? It was the first time he had seen Connor that way since things had changed between them, and he was loving it, almost too much to admit.

“Come on!” Connor said excitedly, tilting his head toward the pool. He kicked off his sandals and jogged over the pool before jumping in with a whoop and a cannonball.

Jude set his bag down on the lounge chair next to where Connor had left his things, and slipped his own shoes off. He grinned as he watched his boyfriend splash around in the water. It was still relatively early in the day, and the few other people at the pool were clustered at the other end.

“Jude, come on!” Connor said, gesturing for his boyfriend to join him. “The water’s fine.”

Jude hesitated for a moment. He had taken his shirt off in front of people before — like on the family camping trip when they went swimming. But now he felt a tinge of fear, that Connor would see Jude’s body — his skinny, pale, undefined body — and be turned off.

“I want to get some water first,” Jude said, picking up his empty bottle.

“Oh, okay,” Connor replied. “Can you throw me the basketball I brought? I want to play with the hoop they have set up over there.”

“Sure.” Jude tossed him the ball before hiking off to the main building to fill up his bottle.

When he returned, Connor was busy with the basketball and the water hoop, and Jude decided to settle into his lounger and stare at the sky.

About ten minutes later, Connor’s head popped up from the water. “Woo!” he yelped. “It is so nice to have my foot back again.” He crossed his arms on the side of the pool and propped his head up, lazily kicking his legs splayed out behind him, watching Jude.

“Hey, uh, are you going to come in? We could play with that cool torpedo thing.”

Jude sat up. “I’m not sure I want to go swimming today.”

Connor raised an eyebrow. “Really? All you’ve been talking about since summer began was going to the pool when the doctor said I could.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather just get a little sun right here.”

There was silence for a few moments.

“Why are you lying?” Connor asked gently. “You know you don’t have to lie to me.”

Jude just shrugged. He felt guilty and a little ashamed, but he didn’t want to risk alienating Connor. His boyfriend pulled himself out of the water and sauntered over to his lounger. He toweled off his hair and sat down.

“Okay, I’ll join you here.” He slipped a pair of sunglasses and laid back. Jude laid back as well, crossing his arms and squeezing his eyes shut. About ten minutes had passed when Connor rotated to lie facing Jude.

“Hey, Jude,” he said. “You know you’re really cute right?”

Jude blushed so hard he could feel his upper arms and torso warming from the rush. He smiled a lopsided grin and glanced away before looking back at his boyfriend.

“Really?” he asked. “You don’t think I’m kind of…” He trailed off.

“Uh, duh,” Connor said, rolling his eyes. “Was all the kissing we’ve been doing not clear? You're the bomb! I’m really lucky that you’re my boyfriend.”

Jude beamed widely. He was good at hiding when he was sad or upset, but he had always worn positive emotions on his sleeve, and he was so happy right now he simply couldn’t help himself. He stood up and confidently pulled his shirt off, discarding it beside his bag. When he turned around, he noticed Connor was looking red. At first he suspected it might be the beginning of a sunburn, but Connor had put on sunscreen before they arrived, and besides, they had only been in the sun for a few minutes.

Connor cleared his throat and glanced down at the grass. Suddenly, Jude realized.

“Are you… blushing?” he said, slightly incredulous.

Connor grinned a little, and looked Jude in the eye. “Well, it’s just that, you’re sort of hot.”

Jude turned his head down slightly. “What?” he said softly. He found it really hard to believe that Connor thought he, Jude Adams Foster, was actually hot.

“You’re hot, okay?” Connor replied. Jude relaxed; he hadn’t realized how he had almost been holding his breath since they arrived. It was a huge relief, and made him feel really good about himself. Jude bent down and kissed Connor on the lips, softly. They pulled apart a few inches and opened their eyes.

“You too. Race you to the pool,” Jude said. Connor’s eyes scrunched in confusion for a split second before Jude turned and sprinted toward the water. Jude jumped in with a cannonball, and Connor wasn’t far behind, whooping and yelling about a splash fight.


End file.
